Electric keyboard shift and unshift



Oct. 19, 1965 H. L. JOHNSTON ELECTRIC KEYBOARD SHIFT AND UNSHIFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1961 HAROLD L. JOHNSTON INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Oct. 19, 1965 H. L. JOHNSTON ELECTRIC KEYBOARD SHIFT AND UNSHIFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1961 mdl HAROLD L. JOHNSTON INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent F 3,212,702 ELECTRIC KEYBOARD SHIFT AND UNSHIFT Harold L. Johnston, 2212 Huntleigh Drive, Oklahoma City, Okla. Filed Feb. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 87,390 2 Claims. (Cl. 234-102) The present invention is an improvement over my United States Patent No. 2,973,810, issued March 7, 1961, for Electric Keyboard for Tape Rerfora-tors.

The present invention relates to tape perforating machines and more particularly to a means for converting the manually tripped shift and unshift keys to a power driven action.

The above referred-to patent converted all of the keys of the tape perforator described therein to electric operation with the exception of fl1e shift and unshift keys. These two keys perform a separate and distinct function from the character selecting keys in that they change the position of the shift bail for selectively operating character selecting bars and setting up a sequence of operation for perforating an upper and a lower type character code in the tape. Since the shift and unshift keys are normally manually operated, and, through a lever combination, change the position of the shift bail, the action of tripping the respective shift or unshift key requires considerably more pressure to be applied by the operator to these particular keys which hinders the efiiciency of the operator for the reason that the operator must remember to apply sufiicient pressure to these bail shifting keys rather than a light touch which is use-d for the remaining keys.

It is therefore the principal object of the instant invention to provide an electrically driven means for positioning the shift bail of a tape perforating machine between a shift and position.

Another object is to provide an electrically operated means which may be connected with and actuated by the power supply .of an electrically operated tape perforating keyboard.

An additional object is to provide a substantially trouble-free switch mounting means and electric switches which may be connected with a tape perforator below the key levers and wherein the switches are actuated by vertical movement of both the shift and uns'hift key levers for closing and opening an electric circuit.

A further object is to provide an electrically driven means in combination with an electric circuit and a bank of electrically operated character selecting keys of a tape perforator so that the effort required to depress or actuate the shift and unshift keys to perform their normal function will be materially reduced thereby providing a bank of keys for a tape perforator which is completely actuated electrically and is operated with a comparatively light touch.

Yet another object is to provide a switch mounting means which may be comparatively easily installed on existing tape perforating machines and which will not easily get out of order and will ordinarily last throughout the life of the tape perforating machine.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by mounting a pair of solenoids adjacent the forward and rearward edge surfaces, respectively, of a reciprocating shift bail extension. The solenoids are connected with a normally open electric circuit including an electric switch and switch mounting means positioned below each shift and unshift key. The solenoid-s are actuated by the electrical power supplied for converting the character code keys to an electric touch.

Other objects will be apparent from the following de- 3,212,702 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 scription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying two sheets of drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, partly in elevation, through a portion of a conventional tape perforating machine illustrating the shift posit-ion of the shift bail and illustrating, in dotted lines, the unshift position of the shift hail;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the relative position of the instant invention installed thereon;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, partly in elevation, taken substantially .along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the switch mounting means, taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the switch mounting means, per se; and

FIGURE 6 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuit.

[Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

Referring to FIG, 1 the reference numeral 10 indicates, as a whole, a conventional tape perforating machine having a substantially rectangular housing or frame 12, a bank of character selecting keys 14, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1, a shift bail 16 and a shift bail extension '18 extending upwardly from the shift bail through an opening 20 formed in the perforating machine frame. The shift bail extends transversely of the perforating machine, adjacent its rearward side 13, and includes a pair of arcuate depending arms 22, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1, which are ivotally mounted adjacent their depending ends to opposing sides of the frame 12 by a pin 24 so that the shift bail may be pivoted from its rearward shift position, shown by solid lines in FIG. 1, to its forward unshift position, indicated by dotted lines. A bell crank 26, mounted on an upstanding bracket 28 connected to the upper surface of the frame 12, is provided at one end with a roller 30 which contacts an upstanding projection 32 formed on the shift bail extension 18 to maintain the latter in shift .or unshift position by means of a spring 34 connected with the other end of the bell crank.

The character selecting keys 14 are each provided with a shank portion 36 extending from the forward end, not shown, toward the rearward end 13 of the frame 12 where they are each pivotally connected to a pinion 38 extending between the frame sides. An elevator bar 40 slidably contacts one side of each respective key shank 36. The elevator bar 40 is provided with a forwardly open slot 42 at its forward end for slidably receiving a mounting pin 44 connected to the key shaft 36 for supporting the forward end of the elevator bar. The rearward end portion of the elevator bar extends arcuately downwardly and rearwardly from the shaft 36 and is removably connected to a forwardly projecting portion of the shift bail by a pin 46. A portion of the depending edge of the elevator bar is provided with a series of recesses 48, intermediate its ends, defining a series of downwardly directed lugs 50 which selectively contact selector bars 52 or 53. The selector bars 52 and 53 are mounted transversely of the frame 12 for vertical reciprocating movement and select an upper or lower case character in response to the depression of one of the keys 14 to select a respective character code to be punched in tape, not shown; for example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, depression of the key 14 has caused the elevator bar 40 to move the selector bars 52 downwardly which selects an upper case character of the particular key depressed. When the shift bail has been moved to its forward or unshift position the shift bail moves the elevator bar 40 to its dotted line position wherein depression of the key 14 places the depending lugs 50 in position to contact the lower case selector bars 53. Movement of the shift bail 16 between shift and unshift positions in the above described operation is manually accomplished by the shift and unshift levers connected by links, not shown, to the shift bail which pivots the latter between its respective shift and unshift positions. This manual bail shifting operation is conventional with code selecting punching machines of this class and the above description is set forth to show the type of machine on which the instant invention is designed to be installed.

In carrying out the invention solenoid means, indicated generally at 60, comprising a bracket member 62 projecting vertically above the frame 12 is connected thereto adjacent one side of the shift bail extension 18 by a base portion 64 and screws 66. A pair of solenoids, preferably rotary solenoids 68 and 70, are mounted in horizontal spaced relation to one side of the bracket 62 above the shift bail extension 18. A pair of arms 72 and 74 are each connected, respectively, at one end in depending relation to the shaft of the solenoids 68 and 70. The depending end portion of the arm 72 is aligned with and is in frictional contact with the forward vertical edge surface of the shift bail extension 18 and the depending end portion of the arm 74 is aligned with and contacts the rearward vertical edge surface of the shift bail extension 18 for the purposes which will presently be apparent.

The shift and unshift key levers are identical, one such lever being shown in FIG. 2 and indicated generally at 76. The shift key 76 is formed similarly to the character selecting keys 14 and includes an elongated shank portion 78 which is similarly pivotally mounted at its rearward inwardly extending end portion by the pinion 38 so that the shift key may be reciprocated vertically. Conventional linkage or levers, not shown, which extends respectively between the shift and unshift key levers and the shift bail for pivoting the latter, in response to movement of the shift or unshift key, is removed when installing the instant invention. The unshift key is maintained in the position indicated by solid lines in FIG. 2 by a con- Ventional key lever spring 80 extending arcuately between and connected at its opposing ends to a recess 82 formed in the depending edge of the key shank 78 and a transverse bracket 84 secured to the frame.

Switch mounting means 86 is positioned transversely of the key shanks on the bracket 84 intermediate the sides of the frame 12. The switch mounting means 86 includes a central plate 88 which is connected to the bracket 84 by screws 90 and projects forwardly therefrom. A pair of substantially right angular members 92 are connected to the forward edge of the plate 88 in aligned relation. Another pair of right angular strap-like mounts 94 are connected to the members 92 in aligned relation. One arm portion 96 of each mount 94 projects laterally toward and in close proximity to the respective shift and unshift key lever shank 78. Normally open switches 98 and 99 are respectively mounted on the lower surface of the arms 96. The switches'98 and 99 each have an upper contact arm 180 extending beyond the respective arm 96 in spaced relation below the respective shift and unshift key shank portion 78.

A prong 102, preferably formed of electric insulating material such as a synthetic material presently marketed under the name nylon, is connected in depending relation to the shank 78 of each respective shift and unshift key by a wire member 104. The depending end of the wire 104 is rigidly secured within the prong 102 and is arcuately doubled back upon itself at its upper end end portion for cooperative engagement with opposing sides of the depending edge portion of the shank 78 to which it is rigidly attached, as by soldering. The prongs 102 are positioned so that they normally contact the upper surface of the respective switch contact arm 108 when the shift and unshift keys are in unactuated or at rest position.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 6, it may be seen that the switches and solenoids are connected in parallel d with the source of potential and that each switch is connected in series with the respective solenoid.

A wire 106 is connected to a negative side of the power supply, not shown, which operates the character keys 14, and is connected, at its other end portion, to one contact of each of the switches 98 and 99. A wire 108 is connected to the positive side of the power supply through a resistor 110 and is connected, at its other end portion, to one contact of each of the solenoids 68 and 70. A wire 112 connects the other contact of the switch 98 with the other contact of the unshift solenoid 70. Similarly a wire 114 connects the remaining contact of the switch 99 with the other contact of the shift solenoid 68. A pair of selenium suppressors 116 are connected in parallel with each of the solenoids 68 and 70, respectively, for the purpose of eliminating arcing at the contact .points of the .switches 98 and 99.

Depression of the respective shift or unshift key 76 moves the shaft thereof downwardly whereby the prong 102 closes the respective switch 98 or 99 to complete a circuit through the respective solenoid 68 or 70. When the unshift key is depressed, and the switch 98 is closed, the solenoid 70 is actuated which pivots its arm 74 from the dotted line position, shown in FIG. 2, to the solid line position thus moving the shift bail extension to the unshift position shown by solid lines in FIG. 2. When the unshift key is released, the roller 30 maintains the shift bail 18 in unshift position.

Depression of the shift key energizes the solenoid 68 which rotates its arm 72 rearwardly and moves the shift bail 16 and extension 18 from the solid to the dotted line position, shown in FIG. 2. The roller 30 then maintains the shift bail in shift position. Thus it may be seen that the shift bail 16 may be pivoted about the mounting pin 24 between shift and unshift positions by simply depressing the respective shift or unshift key to close the respective switch 98 or 99. Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and 1 therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a control form perforating apparatus of the class described having a frame, a horizontal pivoting shift bail, a pair of keys for pivoting said shift bail, said pair of keys each having a shank, said shift bail having a shift bail extension extending upwardly above said frame, the improvement which comprises: at least two solenoids mounted on said frame adjacent said shift bail extension in contact with respective opposing forward and rearward edge surfaces of the latter; a suppressor connected in parallel with each said solenoid; a switch frame mounted in depending relation below said pair of keys; longitudinally aligned members adjustably connected laterally with said switch frame and projecting laterally outward in depending spaced relation below the shanks of said pair of keys; a normally open switch mounted on the outwardly directed free end portion of each said member; a prong secured in depending relation to the lowermost edge portion of each shank of said pair of keys in contact with each respective said switch; and electrical wiring connected with a source of electrical energy and interconnecting each solenoid and suppressor with the respective said switch for energizing said solenoids when the respective one of said switches is closed by downward movement of said shift or unshift key.

2. In a control form perforating apparatus of the class described having a frame, a horizontal pivoting shift bail, a pair of keys for actuating said shift bail and having a shift bail extension projecting upwardly above said frame, the improvement comprising: solenoids mounted on said frame adjacent said shift bail extension, a portion of each solenoid contacting respective opposing edge surfaces of said shift bail extension; a suppressor connected in parallel with each solenoid; switch means mounted transversely of said frame below said pair of keys, said switch means including a switch frame mounted in depending relation below said pair of keys, right angu- 5 lar switch mounts adjustably connected laterally to said switch frame and projecting horizontally outward of said switch frame in spaced relation below said pair of keys, a normally open switch connected to said switch mounts below each respective said key; an electrical insulating prong secured in depending relation to each said key, respectively, and positioned for closing the respective said switch by downward movement of said key; and

wiring interconnecting said switches, said suppressors and said solenoids with a source of electrical energy.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,976,352 10/34 Maul Q3496 2,059,250 11/36 Krum 23411 2,737,240 3/56 Brewer 234-l03 10 ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

FRANK E. BAILEY, FRANK H. BRONAUGH, I.

SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Examiners. 

1. IN A CONTROL FORM PERFORATING APPARATUS OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED HAVING A FRAME, A HORIZONTAL PIVOTING SHIFT BAIL, A PAIR OF KEYS FOR PIVOTING SAID SHAFT BAIL, SAID PAIR OF KEYS EACH HAVING SHANK, SAID SHIFT BAIL HAVING A SHIFT BAIL EXTENSION EXTENDING UPWARDLY ABOVE SAID FRAME, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES; AT LEAST TWO SOLENOIDS MOUNTED ON SID FRAME ADJACENT SAID SHIFT BAIL EXTENSION IN CONTACT WITH RESPECTIVE OPPOSING FORWARD AND REARWARD EDGE SURFACES OF THE LATTER; A SUPPRESSOR CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH EACH SAID SOLENOID; A SWITCH FRAME MOUNTED IN DEPENDING RELATION BELOW SAID PAIR OF KEYS; LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED MEMBERS ADJUSTABLY CONNECTED LATERALLY WITH SAID SWITCH FRAME AND PROJECTING LATERALLY OUTWARD IN DEPENDING SPACED RELATION BELOW THE SHANKS OF SAID PAIR OF KEYS; A NORNALLY OPEN SWITCH MOUNTED ON THE OUTWARDLY DIRECTED FREE END PORTION OF EACH SAID MEMBER; A PRONG SECURED IN DEPENDING RELATION TOT EH LOWERMOST EDGE PORTION OF EACH SHANK OF SAID PAIR OF KEYS IN CONTACT WITH EACH RESPECTIVE SAID SWITCH; AND ELECTRICAL WIRING CONNECTED WITH A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY AND INTERCONNECTING EACH SOLENOD AND SUPPRESSOR WITH THE RESPECTIVE SAID SWITCH FOR ENERGIZING SAID SOLENOIDS WHEN THE RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID SWITCHES IS CLOSED BY DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID SHIFT OR UNSHIFT KEY. 